[WIP] Mass Driver

[skykooler]

This uses KerbTown to make a mass driver for launching small spaceships into LKO.

If you don't know what a mass driver is, see here.

[Tommygun]

Oh my lord...........now you just need that spaceship from "When Worlds Collide"

Great job is an understatement.

[BigFatStupidHead]

Wow. The possibilities Kerbtown presents are awesome. How much mass can this thing launch?

[freakazoid13]

Woah! I thought seeing the space center from low orbit was pretty cool. But if i saw that thing from space, theres a pretty good chance my Kerbals may pee themselves. Except for Jeb, he would probably try to land on it from orbit. Or crash into it...

[Daemascus]

Looks pretty cool, but does it work yet? And how tall is it?

[Railgunner2160]

Nice!! Now does it actually work???

[MinerEdgar]

Jeb looks like he loves it.

[skykooler]

Nice!! Now does it actually work???

Yep! But I need some sort of GUI; right now it launches any craft that gets within 500 meters of the beginning.

[Razchek]

Why not use an ingame button for your launch?

In code check to see if the object is in a trigger collider (starting position?), if it is then enable the "Launch" button - when you click the button you enable the fixedupdate code to apply acceleration.

I like this btw. Very cool haha

E.g.

OnTriggerEnter(Collider otherCollider)
{
 // add to list of launchables, if list length > 0 enable button
}
OnTriggerExit(Collider otherCollider)
{
 // remove from list of launchables, if list == 0 disable button
}

[OopsThatNotWork]

right now it launches any craft that gets within 500 meters of the beginning.

Lol, awesome and dangerous, this has Jeb's name written all over it.

[skykooler]

Why not use an ingame button for your launch?

In code check to see if the object is in a trigger collider (starting position?), if it is then enable the "Launch" button - when you click the button you enable the fixedupdate code to apply acceleration.

I like this btw. Very cool haha

E.g.

OnTriggerEnter(Collider otherCollider)
{
 // add to list of launchables, if list length > 0 enable button
}
OnTriggerExit(Collider otherCollider)
{
 // remove from list of launchables, if list == 0 disable button
}

I'd like to have a button. But I completely do not understand the KSP GUI system.

Looks pretty cool, but does it work yet? And how tall is it?

The mass driver is 40 km long and 13 km high. And yes, it is visible from orbit.

If anyone wants to play around with this early version, here it is: MassDriver.zip

To use: make ship. Drive or fly within 500m of beginning of mass driver. Be launched into space.

[Sapphire]

That was probably the greatest thing ever.

[skykooler]

oh, yeah, it's generally a good idea to include a small rocket on whatever you launch to circularize the orbit.

[Railgunner2160]

Damn!! I may have to try making some shuttles to launch with it, maybe some Mobile Suit Gundam Wing esque ones....

[sirkut]

This is so much fun. Love it!

[nubeees]

Yes! Something completely impractical, but awesome at the same time! So, is the infamous Space Elevator next in line of insane ideas to bring to life in KSP? >: D

[KhaosCorp]

For every super useful situation I think of for this wonderful contraption you have made, I can think of 2 dangerous, counter productive, and all around insane amounts fun type stuff to do with it.

Also...Trucks ...IN SPACE!!!!! thats good stuff right there!

Space elevator already being played with by a couple people, though there was some issues...have an idea about that though =P

[Sapphire]

Also, I have a request: Would it be possible to make a firing sound for this? Like a really loud PEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!

[Tw1]

This is going to work much better than trying to reach orbit with mainsails

Is it going to have variable canon power? I I'd love to be finally able to blast kerbals that parachute down from my station back up there. If not, I'll just edit files to cut it down.

Also, is it going to be just for fun, or could there be a fuel requirement?

This is so awesome.

[skykooler]

This is going to work much better than trying to reach orbit with mainsails

Is it going to have variable canon power? I I'd love to be finally able to blast kerbals that parachute down from my station back up there. If not, I'll just edit files to cut it down.

Also, is it going to be just for fun, or could there be a fuel requirement?

This is so awesome.

I plan to add variable power, so you could for example put a canon on Duna.

As for fuel...well, it's essentially a giant railgun, so it runs on electricity. A huge amount of electricity. If you want a version that needs 10,000 batteries per launch, be my guest, but I'm not planning on adding that.

Also, speed is essentially the same regardless of vessel mass; a kerbal should go about as far as a ship, and I think that the jetpack has enough delta-v to circularize. So you should be able to send a kerbal back up.

Edited August 9, 2013 by skykooler

[pina_coladas]

A procedural sled/sabot with procedural fairings to protect from shock heating... Just throwing that out there!

[Tw1]

Does it launch inactive vessels, with its current fire things that get close enough behavior?

That would make for some interesting practical jokes..

"Hey, lets go for a walk to the bay."

"Ok."

*near the mass driver*

*push*

"AAAAAAAAAAH"

I may have to download the WIP version and try it later.

Edit: Only the active one fires.

Also, I have found a glitch that happens sometimes:

You must jump before you fling a kerbal, or they go for a skywalk.

And I suggest making the angle it fires at much shallower, or variable.

I'm sure you have awesome things planned.

It's very awesome, I like the way you've done it through Kerbtown.

Edited August 9, 2013 by Tw1

[skykooler]

And I suggest making the angle it fires at much shallower.

I tried this, but the problem is that at 13km Kerbin's atmosphere is still very dense, so it's best to clear it as soon as possible; firing at 25 degrees requires over 6000 m/s to make it to space, while firing at 45 degrees as I am now requires only 2700 m/s.

[dizzysaurus]

This. Is. Awesome.

If someone is going to make a button that launches, or an addition to the space center, that would be ++good.

[Razchek]

I'd like to have a button. But I completely do not understand the KSP GUI system.

Okay, well message me if you need a hand with something re: KerbTown. Even if it's only to implement your own little button (that sits next to the start of the mass driver).

I'm glad you made this your own rather than copying straight from the example I provided! Good work!!